80% BSN staffing by 2020

Nurses Activism

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This has been on the forefront of every conversation regarding nursing I have been a party to as of late. 80% of BSN prepared nurses for acute care by 2020. Is this just being kicked around as an ideal, or did this mandate pass? Not sure if this is national or state.

A number of hospitals will only hire BSN's. That is certainly their right, however, to use the 80% by 2020 mandate as a reason to not hire less than a BSN is a bit odd to me.

My understanding is that this mandate states that currently employed nurses are grandfathered. They also have a 10 year period of time to obtain a BSN. From what I have read about this, it is a state mandate that has yet to pass in most states. But the information is vauge.

Or is administration just throwing it out there in attempts to go for Magnet status???

Curious on if you have heard this in your area?

Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
"A more educated nursing workforce would be better equipped to meet the demands of an evolving health care system, and this need could be met by increasing the percentage of nurses with a BSN. An increase in the proportion of nurses with a BSN also would create a workforce poised to achieve higher levels of education at the master’s and doctoral levels, required for nurses to serve as primary care providers, nurse researchers, and nurse faculty— positions currently in great demand across the profession and within the health care system."

This is the important part of the statement for me, not the recommendation for 2020.

If more people saw it that way, instead of the "recommendation" then it would be a more receptive outcome, especially for I've patients and more importantly, our profession...some organizations are having a field day in terms of what they want to do with some of our peers...

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

If more people saw it that way, instead of the "recommendation" then it would be a more receptive outcome, especially for I've patients and more importantly, our profession...some organizations are having a field day in terms of what they want to do with some of our peers...

I suspect the 2020 recommendation was good-intentioned and reasonable timeframe for implementation of the previous statement.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

I suspect the 2020 recommendation was good-intentioned and reasonable timeframe for implementation of the previous statement.

I do to...it's just getting there reasonably is the issue...

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First it was the ADNs now the BSNs - position for Master's now to meet MD shortage. Still have to have the supportive environment that fosters these goals. You can't just keep piling more on a nurse in terms of expectations and liability and then expect them to perform these idealistic perfection roles that serve society for the monetary goals of the stockholders and administration. In other words, if you're gonna give nurses the power to serve in these more powerful roles (primary care, APRN), they need to be paid for it. You just can't say poof "yeah, your so great with your BSN and all that you can serve this purpose and thereby save us money that we don't have to pay an APRN or MD that we pay more for this service right now. We're gonna hire you in at this rate for your first year and expect you to practice like a 5 yr nurse. Oh, and guess what?, you won't be paid for what you actually know and we'll want you to know alot more ... like what a master's level nurse knows NOW." Is this a trap to pay a Master's level nurse the same a BSN? workwise? They do this to ADN's in terms of less hiring. It's used as an excuse to maneuver the numbers. Mgt gets higher degrees for less.

There's a hiring shortage and that is what is scaring nurses into accepting BS wages. I don't think most nursing students know what they are about to get into in terms of how hard the work is and how much manipulating admin does to squeeze out profits to serve the upper admin or whatever.

Yeah, it may seem like our status is being upgraded but i get the feeling it is a tool underneath it all. When the paycheck and the power of voice are reflected positively for the RN in the results of this endeavor, I'll be less skeptical.

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I forgot to add, many hospitals pay a BSN very little over an ADN. Do you see a trend? The BSN may find his/herself in the same boat. Pressure from a hospital to spend money for a degree in order to get paid the same or slightly more. Many nurses don't see the value in getting a Master's or Doctorate because where's the money? More work, more hours, more liability and less pay ratio wise, especially with student loans. May as well go to med school? offshore to cut costs? and the toll it takes on your familly?

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
First it was the ADNs now the BSNs - position for Master's now to meet MD shortage. Still have to have the supportive environment that fosters these goals. You can't just keep piling more on a nurse in terms of expectations and liability and then expect them to perform these idealistic perfection roles that serve society for the monetary goals of the stockholders and administration. In other words if you're gonna give nurses the power to serve in these more powerful roles (primary care, APRN), they need to be paid for it. You just can't say poof "yeah, your so great with your BSN and all that you can serve this purpose and thereby save us money that we don't have to pay an APRN or MD that we pay more for this service right now. We're gonna hire you in at this rate for your first year and expect you to practice like a 5 yr nurse. Oh, and guess what?, you won't be paid for what you actually know and we'll want you to know alot more ... like what a master's level nurse knows NOW." Is this a trap to pay a Master's level nurse the same a BSN? workwise? [/quote']

There have been Master's a Doctor Prepared nurses since the 60s and 70s...If that was the case, I believe it would've happened by now, so, no, I don't believe that to happen...I'm in an area that are advocating for nurse-run clinics. There are some doctors and specialty offices that have appointment to see nurses and nurse practitioners to give them access to healthcare...it's worked so well for nurses and NPs working holistically and having more positive outcomes, they are moving to more clinics for access to healthcare. :yes:

Yeah, it may seem like our status is being upgraded but i get the feeling it is a tool underneath it all. When the paycheck and the power of voice are reflected positively for the RN in the results of this endeavor, I'll be less skeptical.

We have the power of voice already...I'm involved in it actively in my area...who is willing to join and be an agent of change??? There are plenty who are being agents of change...I have been taught by them in school, they are my peers in my workplace, and I have been so in various capacities. Change is possible for people who are willing to see the process through, as well as those willing to be involved in the process...nursing has not evolved up to this point without bedside nurses and nurse educators and advanced practice nurses being the change that we want to see in the world. :yes:

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There have been Master's a Doctor Prepared nurses since the 60s and 70s...If that was the case, I believe it would've happened by now, so, no, I don't believe that to happen...I'm in an area that are advocating for nurse-run clinics. There are some doctors and specialty offices that have appointment to see nurses and nurse practitioners to give them access to healthcare...it's worked so well for nurses and NPs working holistically and having more positive outcomes, they are moving to more clinics for access to healthcare. :yes: . . .
A growing number of universities (two of the 25 nursing programs this year alone in my region) have already dropped their MSN programs for NPs and now only offer the DNP as the gateway to NP. My bet is that the trend will increase in the coming years.
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I forgot to add, many hospitals pay a BSN very little over an ADN. Do you see a trend? The BSN may find his/herself in the same boat. Pressure from a hospital to spend money for a degree in order to get paid the same or slightly more. Many nurses don't see the value in getting a Master's or Doctorate because where's the money? More work, more hours, more liability and less pay ratio wise, especially with student loans. May as well go to med school? offshore to cut costs? and the toll it takes on your familly?

But in my facility, nurses are paid 25 cents more an hour for having a BSN! That's $10.00 more a week! That is $520 a year! Perhaps that pays one (or two) student loan payments.

But we must all go do this. NOW. 2020 is right around the corner....and THEN we can pay you back to the new grad BSN pay....but ya still got your 25 cents.....

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

But in my facility, nurses are paid 25 cents more an hour for having a BSN! That's $10.00 more a week! That is $520 a year! Perhaps that pays one (or two) student loan payments.

But we must all go do this. NOW. 2020 is right around the corner....and THEN we can pay you back to the new grad BSN pay....but ya still got your 25 cents.....

So if you were to do a ADN to BSN bridge right now it would take a year and cost $8000 or so. That would give you six years of making $520 more per year before the 2020 mark for a total of $3120 extra at your current job, reducing "cost" to less than $5k. This is reasonable to me.

If you choose not to invest in your education because the money isn't there then why be surprise when the hospital cuts you because the education isn't there for the money?

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
A growing number of universities (two of the 25 nursing programs this year alone in my region) have already dropped their MSN programs for NPs and now only offer the DNP as the gateway to NP. My bet is that the trend will increase in the coming years.

I don't see where this is bad...if it is going to help with access to healthcare, and the ability to run nurse clinics, the this is a good thing.

Maybe I'm dense...:wacky: but that will keep the MDs from pushing back on giving access to healthcare a "doctors' duty", given the fact that NPs give equal care, based on EBP...

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A growing number of universities (two of the 25 nursing programs this year alone in my region) have already dropped their MSN programs for NPs and now only offer the DNP as the gateway to NP. My bet is that the trend will increase in the coming years.

What is the point in requiring a DNP for a nurse practitioner? Might as well become a MD. I'm all for education, but that totally makes no sense.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

What is the point in requiring a DNP for a nurse practitioner? Might as well become a MD. I'm all for education, but that totally makes no sense.

Nursing and Medicine are two different models of care.

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